Swell-body cutter



(No Nilodel.)

C. R. WILSON.

SWBLL BODY GUTTER. l No. 247,139. Patented Sept.. 13,1881.

WITNEssEs .m NvENToR v M@ M? J6 'f C ATTQRNEY NITED STATES PATENT CEErcE.

CHARLES R. WILSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SWELL-BODY CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,139, dated September 13, 1881.

Application filed July 12, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES It. WrLsoN, of Detroit, county of Wayne, State ot' Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Swell-Body Gutters 5 and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication.

My invention consists in forming a sleighbody with an arm-piece made broader at its forward ends than at the middle of the back, said pieces extending from the front of the seat back and around to the other side of the body, the said arm-piece made in a single length or formed otl two pieces joined together at the middle of the back, or to another piece located at the middle of the back, and in connection with this arm-piece a top rail made in a coutinuous length and extending from the dashboard or from the ends of the arm-piece back around the sleigh-body, and constituting its upper edge, the space between the arm-piece and top rail being filled in with a panel or spindles, or both, the said construction obviating the necessity of employing a back crosspiece such as has heretofore been employed at the back of the body between the two longitudinal frame-pieces.

In thedrawin gs7 Figure l represents a sleighbody embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sepa-rate view ot' the arm-piece. Fig. 3 is a separate view of the top rail made to extend from the dash-board around the back to the dash-board on the opposite side. Fig. 4 is a variation in which the arm-piece is continued at its lower edge forward to the dash. l Fig. 5 is a variation in which the end rail is terminated at the forward end of the arm-piece, and more particularly adapted for that style of arm-piece which is shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a variation in which the forward ends of the top rail are turned abruptly downward, so as to form a sharp angle.

Heretofore in the construction of sleighbodies a back piece has been inserted between the rear ends of the longitudinal frame-pieces, and the arm-pieces have been brought up to and joined upon said longitudinalframe-pieces. In use, however, the joints at the corners be- (No model.)

tween the back and the longitudinal framepieces would crack and open, thus marring the nish ofthe sleigh. To overcome this the side arm has been carried past the longitudinal piece and secured directly to a piece let into the center ofthe back. So, also, the whole upper portion of the sleigh-body, comprising the arm-piece, the top rail, and the intermediate panel, as shown in the drawings, of my device, have been bent in asingle piece; but thislast construction requires a very broad and perfect board and produces a heavy and cumbersome structure.

It is the object of my invention lto produce a light structure, to dispense entirely with the heavy back piece, and to likewise dispense entirely with joints at the corners.

To this end, A represents the longitudinal pieces or raves ot` the framework; B, the armpieces; C, the top rail, and D a panel fitted in between the top rail and arm-piece.

The arm-piece B may, as shown in Fig. 2, be made to extend in a single piece from the front of the seat around and forward to the front ofthe seat on the other side ot' the body; or, if desired, it may be spliced at its middle point to another strip, or it may be made ot' two piecesjoined together at the middle point behind. I propose sometimes to make this in one way and sometimes according to the other way, dependent somewhat upon the material that l employ, for though the long pieces will not require a very broad board, yet the shape is such that with a trifle broader board I can get the two pieces from a board of one-half the entire length. So, also, in case the long piece should be broken in bending, it will usually leave at least one perfect halt', which may be joined to a similar half-length at the rear middle point. I would have it understood, however, that the arm-piece is made broad at its forward ends and narrow at its rear or central portion, substantially as shown in the drawings. In the drawings the forward ends are shown to be about the same breadth as the panel at this point; but I propose to vary this somewhat, as circumstances may demand, still maintaining it broader than the rear or cen tral portions.

The top rail, G, I prefer generally to bend in a single length extending from the dash-board clear around and back to the dash-board, as

IOC

shown in Fig. 3; but this top rail may terminate at the forward extremity of the arm-piece and be spliced to the arm-piece at this'point, in which case the rail would have the appearance shown in Fig. 5. In that event I prefer to make the arm-piece with an extension at its lower edge which projects forward to the dashboard, as shown in Fig. 4. I do not, however, limit myself to a rail made of one piece, but, like the arm-piece, it may be made so as to splice at its middle point, or thereabout. The panel D is suitably recessed into the top edge ofthe arm-piece and the under side of the top rail.

It will be observed that the arm-piece and top rail both of them pass upon the outside of the longitudinal traine-piece A at the rear of the slei gil-bod y, andare there suitably secured to these frame-pieces at the closing points by screws or any other suitable method. This leaves the panel also entirely upon the outside of the frame-pieces, and consequently I do not only entirely avoid the usual joints at the corners of the body, but I produce a body which is at once very light, cheap, easily made, and yet very durable and ornamental. I am enabled also to use narrow boards and the cheaper grades of lumber.

In the device shown in Fig. 6 the extremities of the top rail areforrned with an abrupt bend;

- or, instead of so bending them, the angular extremities may be made separate and joined to the ends of the top rail.

What I claim is- 1. In a sleigh-body, the combination of an arm-piece made broader at its forward ends than at the rear or middle portion, said piece extending from the front of the seat around the back and then forward to the front of the seat on the opposite side, a top rail extending around in like manner, and a panel interposed between the two, the said arm-piece, top rail, and panel passing to the rear ofthe longitudinal frame-pieces, the said arm-piece and top rail each made in one or more pieces, substantially as described.

2. In a sleigh-body, an arm-piece made broader at its forward ends than at the rear or middle portion, a top rail, and an intermediate panel extending from the sides around the back and outside of the longitudinal framepieces, and forming the back of the sleigh-body, substantially as described.

3. The top rail, C, made to extend from the dash around the back and forward again to the dash, and formed of a continuous length, or in two lengths joined at the back, substantially as described.

4. The arm-piece B, provided with projections along its lower edge, extending forward to the dash, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of' two witnesses.

CHARLES R. WILSON.

Witnesses:

W. M. PORTER, HENRY T. QUELCH. 

